Ultrasonic imaging system and associated method
First Claim
1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of acoustic transducers;
position sensors different from said transducers and operatively connected to said transducers for monitoring said transducers to determine substantially instantaneous positions of said transducers relative to each other; and
an image processor operatively connected to said transducers and to said sensors, said processor being programmed to determine three dimensional shapes of objects in response to ultrasonic echo signals received by said transducers and in accordance with the detected positions of said transducers relative to each other.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic medical imaging system comprises a calibration system, a transducer position determination system and an image formation system. The calibration system adjusts the remaining two systems and is part of the overall medical imaging system. A position determination system may discretely determine positions of sensors or sensor arrays considered as rigid bodies, or may continuously determine a shape of a flexible essentially two-dimensional body or mat in which the sensors or sensor arrays are embedded. The position determination system may be internal to a mechanical skeleton or armature joining the transducers or transducer arrays, internal to a two-dimensional body in which the transducers or arrays are embedded, or external to such systems. An image formation system may comprise a flat video screen interposed between a subject and an observer or a flexible video screen conforming to an outer surface of a subject, the screens employed in conjunction with a pair of goggles utilizing synchronized stereoscopic shutters. A self-contained pair of stereoscopic imaging goggles may also be utilized. The image formation system also comprises means to determine a position of a screen with respect to a subject and an observer where a screen is utilized, and an observer and a subject where a screen is not utilized. A common feature of imaging systems in accordance with the present invention is an ability to simulate a direct natural viewing of internal features of a subject.
232 Citations
35 Claims
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1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of acoustic transducers;
position sensors different from said transducers and operatively connected to said transducers for monitoring said transducers to determine substantially instantaneous positions of said transducers relative to each other; and
an image processor operatively connected to said transducers and to said sensors, said processor being programmed to determine three dimensional shapes of objects in response to ultrasonic echo signals received by said transducers and in accordance with the detected positions of said transducers relative to each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
at least one flexible connection coupling said substrates to one another so that said substrates are extendible at a variable angle with respect to one another, said sensors being operatively connected to said substrates for monitoring said substrates to determine substantially instantaneous positions of said substrates relative to each other.
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3. The imaging apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said sensors include a plurality of interferometric metrology devices.
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4. The imaging apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said metrology devices are optical, each of said metrology devices including:
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a laser diode emitting electromagnetic energy of a pre-determined frequency;
a beam splitter, said laser diode and said beam splitter being located on a first one of said substrates;
a reflector on a second one of said substrates; and
a fringe counting device disposed on said first one of substrates and receiving a first beam from said splitter and a second beam reflected from said reflector.
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5. The imaging apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said processor is operatively connected to said fringe counting device for tracking the positions of said substrates relative to each other in response to changes in fringe counts.
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6. The imaging apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said substrates each carry a respective video screen, said processor being operatively connected to said video screens for providing respective video signals thereto, said video signals each encoding an image of objects located near a respective one of said substrates.
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7. The imaging apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said processor includes means for highlighting a selected feature of said objects.
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8. The imaging apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein a plurality of apertures are provided in interstitial spaces between said substrates for enabling traversal of the imaging apparatus by medical instruments.
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9. The imaging apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising video display componentry operatively connected to said processor for displaying an image of said objects in response to signals from said processor.
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10. The imaging apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein said processor includes software-modified generic processing circuits for generating two images of said objects from two distinct angles, and wherein said video display componentry includes hardware for presenting said two images to different eyes of a viewer so as to simulate binocular or stereoscopic vision.
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11. The imaging apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising a calibration reference body disposable in pressure-wave-transmitting contact with a substantial number of said transducers.
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12. The imaging apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said reference body includes a substantially rigid shell filled with a medium having a first velocity of ultrasonic wave propagation, said reference body further including a substantially fixed object disposed at a fixed and known location in said medium, said fixed object having a second velocity of ultrasonic wave propagation different from said first velocity of ultrasonic wave propagation.
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13. The imaging apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein said shell is substantially cylindrical, said medium is a gel and said fixed object is a rigid body.
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14. An imaging apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of acoustic transducers;
a carrier supporting said transducers;
a processor operatively connected to said transducers for determining three dimensional shapes of objects in response to ultrasonic echo signals received by said transducers;
position determination componentry operatively connected to said processor and providing data to said processor determinative of relative positions of said transducers; and
a calibration reference body disposable in pressure-wave-transmitting contact with a substantial number of said transducers, said position determination componentry including software-modified generic digital processing circuits determining initial relative positions of said transducers when said transducers are in pressure-wave-transmitting contact with said calibration reference body and further determining changes in positions of said transducers relative to one another during a transfer of said carrier and said transducers from said calibration reference body to a subject. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for calibrating an acoustic array, comprising:
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(i) providing a calibration body of known dimensions filled with an acoustic medium and containing a calibration target of known acoustic properties at a pre-determined location inside said body;
(ii) placing an array of acoustic transducers in operative contact with an exterior surface of said body, said transducers being mechanically connected to each other via a carrier or substrate;
(iii) operating said transducers to transmit pressure waves from said transducers into said body;
(iv) receiving pressure waves reflected from said target;
(v) processing the reflected pressure waves to generate a virtual image or electronic model of said target;
(vi) automatically comparing said virtual image or electronic model of said target with a stored electronic duplicate of said target;
(vii) in response to the comparing of said virtual image or electronic model with said stored electronic duplicate, determining initial or reference positions of said transducers relative to one another;
(iv) removing said carrier or substrate from said body after the determination of the initial or reference positions of said transducers; and
(v) automatically monitoring changes in positions of said transducers relative to one another during the removing of said carrier or substrate from said body, thereby determining instantaneous positions of said transducers relative to one another. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
energizing a laser diode to emit a beam of electromagnetic energy of a pre-determined frequency;
splitting said beam into a first beam component and a second beam component;
reflecting said first beam component; and
combining the reflected beam with said second beam component to generate interference fringes; and
counting said interference fringes.
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21. The method defined in claim 20 wherein the monitoring of the changes in positions of said transducers includes tracking the positions of said transducers relative to each other in response to the counting of said interference fringes.
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22. The method defined in claim 21, further comprising:
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placing the removed carrier or substrate together with said transducers on a person;
operating said transducers to transmit pressure waves from said transducers into said person;
receiving pressure waves reflected from internal tissue structures of said person;
processing the pressure waves reflected from said internal tissue structures, to generate a virtual image or electronic model of said internal tissue structures;
deriving an image of said internal tissue structures from the virtual image or electronic model of said internal tissue structures; and
displaying the derived image for visual observation by a user or operator.
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23. The method of claim 17 wherein said acoustic medium is taken from the group consisting of water and gel.
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24. A method for generating an image of internal organs of a patient, comprising:
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providing a carrier or substrate having a plurality of acoustic transducers disposable in contact with a skin surface of the patient, said carrier or substrate further including a plurality of metrologic devices;
placing said carrier on said skin surface so that said transducers are in pressure-wave-transmitting contact with the patient;
operating said metrologic devices to generate position data pertaining to relative positions of said transducers;
operating said transducers to generate acoustic data pertaining to internal tissue structures of the patient; and
processing said position data and said acoustic data to produce an image of said internal tissue structures. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A method of calibrating an acoustic array, comprising:
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(i) providing a body of known dimensions filled with an acoustic medium and containing a target of known acoustic properties at a pre-determined location inside said body;
(ii) placing an array of acoustic transducer assemblies in known positions and in operative contact with an exterior surface of said body;
(iii) providing a first system for determination of relative positions of said acoustic transducer assemblies;
(iv) providing a second system for generation of an image based on acoustic data transponded by said array of acoustic transducer assemblies and on said relative positions of the acoustic transducer assemblies;
(v) operating said first system for determination of said relative positions of said acoustic transducer assemblies;
(vi) generating a first correction based on comparison of said determination with said known positions;
(vii) operating said second system for generation of an image based on data transponded by said array of transducer assemblies and a corrected sense of said relative positions; and
,(viii) generating a second correction based on comparison of said image with said pre-determined location of said target inside said body.
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28. A method of determining a current configuration of an array of rigid objects, comprising:
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(i) providing a set of metrologic devices disposed between members of a collection of pairs of said rigid objects, each of said devices operable to determine at least one of an increment in relative position and an increment in relative orientation, said collection of pairs chosen so that an exhaustive operation of said set of metrologic devices determines a sufficient number of said increments to uniquely determine a global increment in said current configuration of said array;
(ii) determining an initial configuration of said array of objects; and
(iii) following said determining of an initial configuration, further determining by means of said set of metrologic devices a sufficient plurality of said increments to determine a global increment in said current configuration of said array, for determining, in conjunction with said determining of an initial configuration, a current configuration of said array. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A method of recording stereoscopic information, comprising;
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(i) providing an array of acoustic transducers;
(ii) operating a first portion of said array to construct an acoustic image of a target from a first perspective; and
(iii) operating a second portion of said array to construct an acoustic image of a target from a second perspective, objects imaged from said first perspective being at least partially identical with objects imaged from said second perspective. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification